About longleaf writer's conference

Our conference retreat occurs every year during the second week of May. We offer a full week of intensive and generative writing workshops where attendees, scholars, and fellows engage with small group workshop critiques of writing. Throughout the week we offer daily seminars, agent consultations, school outreach programs, nightly readings, and special social events. We welcome all levels of writers and offer many scholarships and fellowships through a competitive application process.

We are now more centrally located in a quiet town on the Emerald Coast, close to Seaside and Rosemary and Alyce Beach and Destin (some might recognize Seaside as the set for the movie The Truman Show with Jim Carrey).

Our mission

Our mission is to create a small and intimate writing conference and retreat without hierarchy or professional competition. We aim to provide a deep learning experience and an opportunity to broaden your professional and creative community on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We are renowned for bringing top-level faculty and editors as well as agents who are currently searching for their next big star!

more on the beach

And of course let’s not forget the world-class beach; if you like white sand and clear water, this is the conference for you. We provide luxury chairs and umbrellas on the beach for your use and we encourage plenty of creative loafing. This is a casual, laid-back conference, flip-flops and salty hair, naps on the sand, leisure snacks at local shops and cafes, perusing this quaint cottage town before cocktails for these glorious nightly sunsets.

Our future

What started as a handful of dedicated writers on the beach led by just two faculty members has grown to an event-driven conference with 75-100 visitors each year.

Unlike many conferences, the LWC provides financial aid with no help through an endowment (though we are working diligently to change that), so what you see when you arrive is truly a work and labor of love and we consider it a gift to you.

Our vision is to someday be able to provide financial aid to every attendee. We are always looking for new donors, sponsors, or someone to endow our future.